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(No Model.)

W. H. BRANDENBURG & F. H. CHILTON. GAR COUPLING.

"Patented Feb, 4, 1896.

kw X My WITNESSES llVl/f/VTO more clearly in Fig. 3.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BRANDENBURG AND FRANKLIN n. CHILTON, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,835, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed October 14, 1895. Serial No. 565,597. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,WILLIAM H. BRANDEN- BURG and. FRANKLIN H. CHILTON, citizens of the United States, and residents of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplers; and it consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of the adjoining ends of two cars equipped with couplers constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, the couplers being partly in section on the dotted line 1 1 of Fig. 3.

of the parts of the couplers after the cars have come together and been coupled, Fig. 3 is a top view, partly in section, of the couplers detached from the cars, the latter being indicated by the two vertical dottedlines. 4 is a detached perspective View of one of the coupler-hooks, and Fig. 5 is a like view of a link forming a part of the coupling devices.

In the drawings, A B respectively designate the cars, and O D respectively-the draw-bars secured thereto. The draw-bar C has pivotally secured within its mouth and at one side of the longitudinal center thereof the hook E and contact-plate F, the said hook and plate beingintegral with one another, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and containing the transverse aperture G, through which the rod or pin l-I may be passed to furnish a hearing, as illustrated than the hook E and has a tendency to pull the hook E upward.

Below the plate F is mounted upon the transverse pin I the plate J, having the oppositelyinclined upper surfaces at b and depending arm K carrying the weight L, the tendency of the latter being to throw the upper portion of theplate J forward against the contact-plate F. The inner lower edgeof the plate J has pivotally secured to it the link M whose outer end contains the slot N and is supported upon Fig. 2 is a like view of same, showing the position Fig.

The plate F is heavier the transverse rod 0 which extends across the car and is connected at its ends with the levers P pivoted at Q at each side of the car.

The plates J may be of uniform thickness throughout if desired, or, if preferred, the said plates J at their upper ends may be thickened, as indicated at cl, to form a broader surface for contact with the lower edge of the plate F.

In the draw-bar G at one side of the contactplate F is provided the recess R to receive the inner end of the link S, the latter being held in place by the vertical pin T passing downward through the head of the draw-bar C and entering said link in the usual manner, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. l and full lines in Fig. 3.

The draw-bar D is provided with the pivoted hook E, contact-plate F and pivoted plate J, identical in construction with the like-named elements applied to the draw-bar 0; but, as

illustrated in Fig. 3 more clearly, the said elements E, F, and J carried by the draw-bar D are in alignment with the link S of the drawbar 0, while the hook E, plate F and plate J carried by the draw-bar C are in alignment with the link T of the draw-bar D, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Thus the draw-bar O is provided with the hook E, plate F and plate J for co-opera-t-ion with the link T of the drawbar D, and the draw-bar D is provided with the hook E, the plate F and plate J for co-operation with the link S of the draw-bar O. The draw-bar D is provided with the recess V to receive the link '1, which is held in position by the vertical pin XV passing downward through said link.

' The normal position of the devices constituting the couplers is that illustrated in Fig. 1, in which it will be observed that the levers P at their upper ends are moved toward the ends of the cars and that the upper ends of the plates J are in rear of the contact-plates F,-in which position, owing to the Weights L, the said plates J cause the hooks E to be maintained in their elevated position. I Upon the cars A B coming together the link T will strike the contact-plate F of the draw-barb, and the link S of the draw-bar G will strike the contact-plate F of the draw-bar D, and this contact of the links with said plates will cause the latter to move inward and the hooks E to move downward within the links to the position illustrated in Fig. 2. The inward movement of the plates F causes the plates J to turn inward on their pivots until the said plates F have passed the upper edges of said plates J, at which time the weights L will cause the said plates J to return to substantially their normal position, their upper edges coming at the front of the plates F, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position they retain the plates F at their inward position and the hooks E in their downward position and efiectually insure the proper coupling of the cars together.

It will be observed upon reference to Fig. 2 that the front surface of the plate F and inclined surface aof the plate J are in contact with each other on a substantially central line between the pivotal pins H I, and hence that the pull on the hook E has no tendency to turn the plate J upon its pivot, but acts to firmly hold the said plates in the position in which they are illustrated in Fig. 2.

lVhen it is desired to uncouple the cars the levers P will be thrown to the opposite position from that illustrated in Fig. 1, whereby the transverse rods 0 acting through the links M will press against the lower edge of the plates J and cause the upper end of said plates to pass inward against and beyond the contact-plates F, the hooks E dipping slightly to permit of this movement. As soon as the upper end of the plate J has passed inward beyond the lower end of the contact-plate F, the latter will swing outward to the front of said plate J and lift the hook E free of the engaging link, and the weight L will cause the plate J to resume its normal position at the rear of said plate F, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the coupler being thus left in its initial condition. The links M are provided with the slots N in order that the plates J may swing to their normal position after having been moved by the levers P to free the contact-plates F.

The uncoupling of the cars is accomplished almost instantaneously, since upon a slight outward motion of the lower end of the levers P against the plates J the upper ends of the latter will turn rearward and the contact-plates F will immediately rock outward and throw the hooks E upward. If for any reason the hooks E should not freely turn upward to their hi ghest position during theuncouplin g of the cars, they may be quickly forced upward by moving the levers P to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, in which it will be observed that the transverse rods 0 are pressed against the rear ends of the links M and in such position have a direct pull against the lower portion of the plates J sufficient to cause the upper portion of said plates to be driven outward against the rear edges of the contact-plates F,whereby the hooks E may be turned forcibly upward, if necessary or desired. After the levers P have been turned to the extreme position illustrated in Fig. 1 it is desirable that they be immediately returned to a more nearly vertical position in order that the rods 0 may, though the ears have been uncoupled, stand in about the center of the slots N of the links M, so that the links S T, upon striking the contact-plates F during the operation of coupling the cars, may freely effect the turning inward of the plates J for the purposes above described.

The couplers constituting the present invention form a duplex coupler, the link T of the draw-bar D and the hook E, plate F and plate J of the draw-bar O constitutin g a complete coupling device, and the link S of the draw-bar C and hook E, plate F and plate J of the draw-bar D also comprising a distinct coupling device. The coupling of the cars in accordance with our invention is rendered automatic, and the uncoupling of the cars may be accomplished from the outer sides of the latter.

hat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The draw bar having the link, combined with the draw-bar having the pivoted hook and contact-plate, the weighted pivoted plate in the last-mentioned draw-bar and adapted at its upper edge to engage the front and rear surfaces of said contact-plate, and means for freeing the weighted plate from the contactplate when it is desired to uncouple the cars substantially as set forth.

2. The draw-bar having the link, combined with the draw-bar having the pivoted hook and contact-plate, and the pivoted plate in the last-mentioned draw-bar and adapted at its upper edge to engage the front and rear surfaces of said contact-plate, and means for eifecting the movement of the said pivoted plate; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The draw-bar having the link, combined with the draw-bar having the pivoted hook and contact-plate, and the pivoted plate in the last-mentioned draw-bar having the oppositely-inclined upper edges to engage the front and rear surfaces of said contact-plate, and means for effecting the movement of said pivoted plate; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The draw-bar having the link, combined with the draw-bar having the pivoted hook and the cont-act plate, the weighted pivoted plate in the last-mentioned draw-bar and having the inclined surface a at its upper edge to engage said contact-plate, and means for freeing the weighted plate from the contact-plate when it is desired to uneouple the cars substantially as set forth.

5. The draw-bar having the link, combined with the draw-bar having the pivoted hook and contact-plate integral with one another and the contact-plate being heavier than the hook, the pivoted plate in the last-mentioned draw-bar and adapted at its upper edge to engage the front and rear surfaces of said contact'plate, and means for freeing the said pivoted plate from the said contact-plate when it is desired to unoouple the cars; sub stantially as set forth.

6. The draw-bar having the link, combined with the draw-bar having the pivoted hook and contact-plate integral with one another and the plate being heavier than the hook, the Weighted pivoted plate in the last-mentioned draw-bar and adapted at its upper edge to engage the front and rear surfaces of said contact-plate, and means for freeing the Weighted plate from the contact-plate when it is desired to uncouple the cars substantially as set forth.

7. The draw-bar O carrying the link S and provided With the pivoted hook and contactplate and the Weighted pivoted plate for engagement With said contact-plate, combined WILLIAM H. BRANDENBURG. FRANKLIN H. CHILTON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. G. GILL, E. J os. BELKNAP. 

